Can Atheists and Theists co-exist?

I am new to TA but the question I pose is certainly not a fresh one: Can Atheists and Theists co-exist?

We all know that historically Theists and other Theists cannot co-exist peacefully. War and violence in the name of Religion has been widespread over the entirety of human existence, but it has to be said that civility between believers and non-believers in the modern age has been commonplace. Formal (mostly amicable) debates and the agreement on separation of church and state have somewhat proven this theory, right?

Do the majority of Atheists really strive for a world of empty churches, bible burning and the end of religion forever? Maybe some of us do, just as many Theists probably pray for the conversion of all Atheists to Theism.

What can we realistically hope to achieve as Atheists, and in your opinion is it possible to co-exist with the believers?

I'll leave you with some interesting quotes -

“The whole war between the atheist and the theist comes down to this: the atheist believes a 'what' created the universe; the theist believes a 'who' created the universe.” - Criss Jami

"I'm noticing an exciting trend around the country: a resurgence of interest in Christian apologetics (the defense of the faith). This is a reaction to the current attacks on the essentials of Christianity that are coming from militant atheists, radical professors, and Internet gadflies."

- Lee Strobel

"I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world."

- Richard Dawkins

"Religion is part of the human make-up. It's also part of our cultural and intellectual history. Religion was our first attempt at literature, the texts, our first attempt at cosmology, making sense of where we are in the universe, our first attempt at health care, believing in faith healing, our first attempt at philosophy."

Replies to This Discussion

You can show "2 girls and a cup" for all I care (and I've never seen it.) You can't shock my point of view. Always be nice and considerate. Listen to people like Kir. She has an awesome heart. Me-tonight I wanna kick some catholic ass. That is just now though. I get emotional sometimes. Do you? If so what will we do about this? Right now I don't wanna get along with Christians. I've dealt with them all night. I'm not a part of them that say :shoot'em all" but pure ignorance isn't good. Their religion has been beat into them in a sense and there is a reason for it

I really don't want them to get away with what they are doing but they are aren't they.

I felt no need to watch it either, but I did follow the link and read the description.
Apparently the quran does not prescribe death as the penalty for apostasy, it has been entirely decided by muslim human tradition.

That is most certainly the best way to handle acceptance (or rejection despite its obvious divinity) of the one true universal truth.

What I don't get is the hooded executioners. If death for the offense of apostasy is so appropriate and acceptable, wouldn't you want to be captured on camera grinning proudly from ear to ear as you carried out your holy task? As in 'Mom did you see me on the news tonight doing the work of allah?

The identities of executioners has always been kept secret. In firing squads, one rifleman has a blank bullet so that no one can be absolutely certain who did and who did not kill. Even with the needle, there are two buttons, pushed by two different men, one leads to the lethal drugs, one doesn't.

In films of Jolly Olde England, executioners are often portrayed as hooded or masked - I suspect to prevent revenge by relatives of the guest of honor.

I've often wondered, if capital punishment is actually intended to deter future capital crimes, then why not make them more visible rather than carried out behind closed doors in front of a rather small audience of "witnesses"?

Less than a couple of centuries ago, they were quite public, but I believe that our realization that we can be so barbaric, not that different from the person we're executing, has caused us, in our shame, to hide it.

We delude ourselves by calling it a deterrent, as a means of justification, what it actually is, is revenege, pure and simple, and a way of permanently taking the offending individual off the planet.

@Kris. I am sorry, I got so caught up in section 14 'Recruiting Children into the Gay Lifestyle' and section 15, 'Leveraging Homosexuality for the Purpose of Cultural and Political Change', I need to go back and reread it. Manifestos can be so tedious at times.

That must have interesting connotations. Do you operate on a 'live and let live' basis, or does your wife express concerns for your immortal soul? I ask from interest only, and please don't respond if you feel the question is too personal :)

RE: "I have been married to a Theist for 40 years." - and verily happily so, from what I can tell by some of your earlier posts, Blaine, but I'll bet your wife has never gone shopping for His and Hers Heavenly Choir Robes from Angels 'r' Us, has she?